Where the brave fear to tread: The Convent
by random-k
Summary: Alanna describes her life in the convent, in a series of letters to Thom


Where the brave fear to tread: The Convent

* * *

_I own nothing but my own Ideas_

_What exactly is life in the convent like? Written in aseries of letters by Alanna, to her brother._

* * *

Dear Thom,

I have been at the convent for a little over a week, and I already hate it. They wake us up at the worst gods-forsaken hour in the morning, with a pair of easily irritated sisters. I might not have minded the hour so much, if their voices weren't so shrilly. The city of the Gods would not seam so bad, without the convent. The convent itself is a dull grey place where dreams come to die. Particularly my dreams.

It is filled with shallow meaningless people, and the gifted. Personality-wise, there is little separating the two, but I am coming to prefer the company of the gifted. Our teachers could pass as members of "the cult of the gentle mother"- that was supposedly dropped fifty years back- and teach us meaningless nonsense. I fear becoming one. Please send me a letter, with interesting things about Corus.

Your loving sister

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

In your last letter, you asked what we were learning. I'll warn you now, It is not very interesting, but here is a list anyway.

There is a mind- numbingly dull subject- sadly not the only one of such in this convent- called sewing. Not only is it boring, but it is also quite painful. My finger was stabbed several times today, and thimbles are just as annoying. I wont even begin to start on the patterns.

Everywhere I go, they do constantly critique my posture. It is always " Don't slouch Alanna" Or "sweep your skirts out gracefully Alanna, don't wrinkle them," and I am constantly getting extra work from fidgeting. It makes me want to scream.

There is reading and writing, which I already know how to do. The reading and writing material we must complete, is insipid and uninspiring.

There are many dance lessons, which I do like. Its not that the dances themselves are particularly interesting, it is because dance class is one of the few classes involving physical activity. I still find it frivolous.

For our creative portion we learn singing, poetry, and how to play an instrument. I do not mind playing a lute. Poetry- on the other hand- annoys me, and we must both recite and create it.

Worse then poetry, however is etiquette. I do not understand why it matters what spoon I use for tea, and what spoon I use for soup, so long as I am using a spoon for the activity? It makes no sense to me.

While I am thinking of the behaviors we must learn, I have a question I wish to ask of a boy . What is the attraction in fluttering eyelashes and giggling? I hope someday you will answer it.

I am not very good at math so far, but in all of the time I have been here, it is the most useful subject being taught. I am endeavoring to learn it based solely on its usefulness in the future. It is still dull.

I would consider putting botany under the useful category as well, if we ever learn anything beyond perfume scents.

Speaking of perfumes, let me give you some useful advice. Never try to be beautiful. It is more pain then it is worth, and involves hot wax, piercing, and corsets. The first is very painful, the second had me fall unconscious, and the last is the reason behind the ladies fainting syndrome at court. I am still being teased for falling unconscious when my ears were pierced.

There are still more classes we will be introduced to in the future, the worst sounding one being about 'bedding a man'.

If I do successfully come out of this building sane, I am going to move into the country and become an old maid.

Your sister,

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

Riding –even riding side-saddle – would be much presenter if chubby had not thrown a hoof today. The pony they gave me in replacement was pure evil, it kept trying to throw me.

You asked in your last letter about the City of the Gods. The city its self is not so bad. What little time I do have free from the convent ,I use to look around it. I spend a lot of time at the shops. Although they are not as extensive as Corus, the goods sold in them are quite nice. I spend a lot of my time lately with the blacksmiths apprentice. For a small fee, he trains me and allows me use of his yard. I may make my own weapons if I am willing to cover the expense, but I would like more practice first. Additionally, I have taken up your suggestion of running around the city, and up any staircase I find, it is surprisingly relaxing.

Another source of amusement I have found is playing pranks on the other ladies, with my partner in crime Elizabeth.

The daughters have taken to giving me additional methods to keep my beauty, such as giving me special gloves to keep my skin soft, and a veil for my skin. I have accidentally lost both of them within the fire.

Stay safe,

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

I have discovered the purpose of the convent, and the reason young mages are trained in it. The convent is not a place of learning; it is a place of brainwashing. Before you laugh at me, let me explain. You told me- not long ago in fact – the definition of brainwashing. Brainwashing- you said- , is intensive, forcible indoctrination, aimed at destroying a persons basic convictions and attitudes ,and replacing them with an alternative set of fixed beliefs. At the convent, they achieve this by keeping us relatively isolated from other forms of thought process and ,using widespread popular belief of gaining a husband as life's goal, force young noble girls into practicing this method of life.

The mages are there to keep the rebels in check, through compulsion spells to prevent people from doing 'the wrong thing' like escape.

I may have attempted it recently.

The end result is that they send groups of likeminded noble woman to court, where they will be fought over by most likeminded men, who are also at court. Among the commoners, these woman would be called unpaid prostitutes, or "Whores". Why nobles look down upon actual use of prostitutes confuses me. Real prostitutes are much more interesting conversationalists.

No, I have not hired a prostitute ,before you ask, the wives of the Butcher, the Glassblower, and the Innkeeper are all former prostitutes, and get together at the inn every so often. Sometimes I talk to people at the inn. They are much more interesting then most people at the convent.

Lately many of my privileges have been revoked. Luckily, letter writing was not one of them

Stay safe;

Your sister,

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

They Broke Elizabeth

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

The weather is lovely.

That is the only good thing about today.

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

Whatever you do, avoid the gardens.

Ambushes happen in the gardens. You walk in on something you cannot forget, and never want to see again.

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

I am considering becoming a musician, and running off to become a sponny bard.

Can you help me plan an escape.

Alanna

* * *

Dear Thom,

I have decided that you are right.

I am not passionate enough about music to be a successful bard. You are also right, that it is time to face my Gift. I can not hide from it forever. I would have had to use my gift as a knight. I must heal. I can not live in fear from something that is part of me. You told me the last one. I like that reason best at the moment. But I think the real reason I am changing my path, is that I am scared of who I will become if I don't. I can't stand the idea of becoming another one of many noble bearing mothers. I couldn't stand myself if that is all I became. I need to be something more. I cant Ignore that aspect of myself anymore. You understand that. We both wanted to be something big.

Maybe we can't have it in the way we wanted, but we will achieve something new in the paths we are on. I can not become something exceptional as a noble girl in a convent, so I will become a noble mage in a convent. You must continue sending me weapon training strategy, because I will become a mage who uses all the weapons at her disposal, and I will conquer my Gift. In return, I will send you spell instructions. Tomorrow I am going to show my gift, and convince them to switch me into Magic training. Honestly, it probably wont be that hard, I think most of the sisters hate me.

Stay safe, and prey for my luck;

Your sister,

Alanna

* * *

_Honestly this wasn't too serious, an exploration AU to get me out of a funk. I'm not sure how Alanna and Thom would write to each other, to be honest. I hope the characterization was decent._

_Hope it made someone smile anyway_

_Happy late New Year everyone!_

_Now I want to see Alanna the sponny Bard_

_I looked through all 303 pages of SOTL fanfic and I didn't, see any complete -Reading- 'Alanna the first adventure' story. I want to find some quotes of Alanna telling her friends to go for the best squire. Does anyone know where I can find one? They used to be pretty common. _

_Please leave a review, and tell me how I did_


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